Recount expected after narrow victory for $65 million Vallivue school bond

The Canyon County clerk said on Wednesday that he believes a recount request is imminent.

Author:
KTVB Staff

Published:
11:14 PM MDT March 12, 2019

Updated:
4:56 PM MDT March 13, 2019

CALDWELL, Idaho — Voters in Canyon County approved - by the narrowest of margins - a $65.3 million bond for the Vallivue School District Tuesday night.

The funding request required a supermajority, or 66.67 percent approval in order to pass. Unofficial results show 1,615 people voting in favor of the bond, with 806 against - an approval percentage of 66.71.

It appears that the election came down to a single vote.

Canyon County elections officials told KTVB Wednesday afternoon that they are expecting a recount, given the extremely narrow margin of victory.

"Clerk Chris Yamamoto and the Elections Office believe a recount request is imminent and are therefore acting accordingly," the county said in a statement, noting that the "results fall well within the parameters" for a recount.

The Canyon County Sheriff's Office has taken custody of all ballots, ballot boxes, and ballot material until a recount can take place.

The votes will be certified on Friday, and recount must be requested within 20 days of the certification. The recount itself is expected to happen early next week, officials said.

The fast-growing school district plans to use the money to build a new middle school, and to renovate or upgrade other schools in the district. It will also be used to purchase land for future school sites.

District officials told KTVB that money for a new middle school is critical. Vallivue Middle School is expected to be over capacity by the 2019-20 school year. And Sage Valley Middle School is already over capacity, forcing administrators to bring in modular buildings to use as classrooms.

Elsewhere in Canyon County, voters approved a levy for the Wilder School District that will bring in $200,000 per year for five years. That money will be used to pay the district's share of costs for operation of the Canyon Owyhee School Service Agency (COSSA).

With 173 votes in favor and 153 against, the Wilder levy passed with a 53 percent majority.